Fao Kuri Festival Health Walk

The people and chiefs of Manyoro in Kassena-Nankana East Municipality in the Upper East Region, engaged in their annual Fao Kuri Festival Health Walk over the weekend.

The health walk, which is third in the series, saw participants walk from the palace of the overlord of Manyoro, through Natugnia to the palace of the paramount chief of Sirigu, in the Kassena- Nankana West District of the Upper East Region of Ghana.

Spinners that were mounted on a truck with loud speakers provided music for the participants who took advantage of it to dance and socialise.

The songs were mostly in praise of the overlord of the Manyoro traditional area, His Royal Highness, Pe Dr. Pakweaa Atudiwe Atudipaare Manchi 111 for his exemplary and progressive leadership.

Asked about the significance of the health walk, the overlord of the Manyoro traditional area, who is also a lecturer in law at the University of Ghana, Legon, said, “The health walk is important because a healthy mind lies in a healthy body.

It’s also meant to engender some kind of exercise or fitness culture among the youth, the elderly, women, and children in order to ensure that the people stay mentally and physically great to do their work.”

He further explained that, “Modern medicine supports the view that exercise promotes health and longevity.”

Denis Kwopia Yawulga who is a participant and secretary to the overlord of the Manyoro traditional area suggested that apart from the benefit of making the people stay healthy, he was hopeful it would promote peace and unity among the people for the accelerated development of the area.

The fitness walk took two hours to the Sirigu paramountcy. At the forecourt of the palace of the Sirigu paramount chief, there was a short display of some of the cultural and traditional practices of the Manyoro people by the women participants which drew admiration, laughter and cheers from the crowd of curious on-lookers.

The palace authorities in Sirigu, welcomed the Health Walk group and provided water for participants to quench their thirst after covering a distance of about six kilometres.

Pe Jantiti Wasajei, chief of Wura who was mandated to speak on behalf of group said, the visit to the Sirigu paramount chief’s palace was to strengthen the existing bonds of friendship and cooperation between their peoples and also to honour the paramount chief, His Royal Highness Naa Atogumdeya Rowland Akwara III for being the first to initiate such a health walk in that part of the Kassena –Nankana Municipality.

“We are in no way competing with the Sirigu paramountcy. We embraced and replicated his health walk idea because of its benefits”, he said.

The palace authorities in Sirigu lamented that they could not give a better treatment as they would have wished because they were not privy to the visit by the health walk group from Manyoro. They prayed for a safe return journey back to Manyoro.

Chiefs who participated in the health walk include Pe Dr. Felix Adjuah Achana, Sakunia chief, Pe Anongo Dominic Yawulga, chief of Dambisi, Pe Webatwinoona Aweparee Agulu, Wanjagnia Tionabili chief, Pe Jantiti Wasajei, Wura chief, Pe Ajigeteena Solomon Sewe, Gware chief, Pe Michael Nsowini Ayitoliya, chief of Apoa-Doone Geribisi, Pe Adagwine Clement Akayele, Saforo chief, Pe Oliver A. Anyoka, Gumongo Bagbisi chief, Pe Abraham Atudiwe Azabre, Kupela chief, and Pe Bayichigata Logochenge, chief of Yiakolo.

Other senior citizens who defied the chilly Harmattan conditions, to participate in the health walk were; Azakem Wembi from the Yiakolo community, Kwowujei Kadunga from Dambisi community and Robert K. Awolugutu, a retired prison officer from the Wura community.

The health walk exercise precedes the Fao Kuri festival, which will be commemorated on December 27, 2023, to honour our ancestors for their sacrifices and blessings as well as thank the gods of the land for a bountiful harvest.